The Best and Worst States to Educate Your Kids

Friday, September 7, 2012

There's good news and bad news about the state of education in America. According to The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s newly released KIDS COUNT Data Book, we've made progress and have had some setbacks. Academics and health have improved in most states, but our children's economic well-being continues to decline.

To find out how your state is ranked click here.

My Home State of Texas

Texas ranks 44th among the states in overall child health and well-being, according to data in 2012 Kids Count Data Book. The Data Book examines how children are doing in 4 areas:

1. Economic Well Being

2. Education

3. Health

4. Family and Community

Texas had a child poverty rate above the U.S. rate of 22 percent, with 26 percent or one in four Texas kids living in poverty in 2010. The data show the number of poor children increased by 4 percent from 2005 to 2010, and the rate of children living in homes where no parent has a full-time job increased by 19 percent.

Texas also ranked 49th in children without health insurance, with an uninsured rate of 14 percent in 2010. The number of uninsured Texas children decreased by 22% since 2008, mainly because of increased coverage through the public health insurance programs Medicaid and CHIP. However, Texas has the 2nd highest children's uninsured rate in the country.

Texas has the third highest teen birth rate in the country and saw a 2% increase in the number of babies born at a low birth weight.
My two cents for whatever it maybe worth to you: This is not what I want for our kids. We all need to join together and do something to change it. As a school principal it is our job to grow the next leaders of this country.

Top 5 States

Bottom 5 States

My question to you: Do you agree with this research and your state's ranking? Give me your comments.